Lincoln School believes in the potential of its human talent, that is why it has promoted roundtable discussions that allow our teachers to train their colleagues. "Teachers of the Round Table" is an initiative that aims to empower teachers with tools and methods to enhance our Trojans’ educational experience.
"I'm excited to be here today, to be part of this team...working together, sharing best practices and talking about best practices and growing together. Thank you for being involved and thanks to the team for sharing this vision and making it happen. I think this is great," said Scott Garren, High School Principal.
Through virtual chats, teachers volunteer to present a topic related to the IB learning standards. These presentations are associated with the principles of communication, research, self-management and others to develop soft skills in our community.
Teachers can have a positive influence on the student population, so these professional development sessions are intended to encourage them to try new methods in the classrooms. This will allow for a closer connection among teachers, so that they can share experiences in favor of education.
“We have always talked about sharing the experience of our teachers. We have so many teachers with good ideas that we wanted to give them space and time to share. Seeing that as an opportunity for professional growth rather than paying an expert thousands of dollars to give a talk”, said Michelle Lampinen, High School Assistant Principal.
The first "Teachers of the Round Table" event was held last Tuesday, February 23. The presentations involving around 60 Middle School and High School teachers addressed topics such as: motivation, empathy, research skills, cognitive development strategies and techniques for using digital tools.
Marisol Ramírez, High School teacher, participated as a speaker in the activity. She gave a lecture on Thinking with Empathy.
"These types of activities are very valuable because they encourage the reinforcement of research and innovation skills of our work team. I consider that listening to a close person and observing the achievements obtained through a session motivates not only the colleague who executes it but also empowers the colleagues who observe. I appreciate the opportunity and the time and space that Lincoln School gives me, but above all I am grateful for their trust," said Ramirez.
Hybrid model: a new challenge
Adapting to the hybrid model has been a complex challenge for teachers. Our team has reported fatigue, but the happiness they get from seeing students in class serves as the necessary dose of motivation to continue.
According to Lampinen, our teachers are passionate about teaching and equally enthusiastic about learning new things. That is why "Teachers of the Round Table" will be held again in March and April.
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